Outside Looking In
by chibibunny18
Summary: Mika has spent her life searching for her brother Kenji, who abandoned her. One night, she ends up outside Genkai's temple and at Koenma's orders, has to stay. Unknown to her, Kenji is lurking about, ready to deliver some powerful news!
1. Chapter 1: A Head Of Hair

Chapter One: A Head Of Hair

The darkness of the night swept over the young girl. It was a bitter cold that she tried to erase from her mind as she wandered purposefully down the busy streets in the middle of the city. Her eyes scanned the crowd for a glimpse of black hair. Of course; she was surrounded by black hair of all kinds, but she knew the specific head of hair she was on the look out for. Her brother's hair was unique. Again the winds picked up and swept across the girl's body, whipping against her chest and legs. She wore a pair of faded blue jeans that were brand new and a small black t-shirt, which showed off her curves so she could get anyone's attention and then their information. People looked at her as she passed them on the street. In the darkness, she was a glowing ghost walking in the city. Besides her normal attire, she wore a black pea-coat and a black bow in her soft golden hair. It whipped in front of her face occasionally. She was truly a sight to behold in the busy hours of the night; a gothic dressed angel.

Teens went in and out of the stores with grace and ease, each one unaware of a life that was run by everyone else. She shivered slightly in the night, rubbing her black mittens together to create some friction. The teens walked by her, looking back at her to check her out. She was unaccustomed to the smiles on their faces as they wandered around without a care in the world. As a young orphan, she had been given to several families, and when she was old enough to survive; she ran away to find her brother. She knew that no one wanted her; even her own parents had abandoned her. She was nothing. Invisible to the naked eye.

A tear slide down her cheek in the cold of the winter. She brushed it away and looked up just in time to spot a familiar shade of black along the streets. The hair was sleeked back with what looked like an entire bottle of cheap hair gel. She laughed, but followed the head eagerly, not knowing what she would find. Her heart raced as she let herself hope that it was Kenji. He would have to love her; he would sense the pain from when she was thrown out and he would be just as guilty of abandoning her. She would use that to its full extent. Nothing was going to stop her from finding Kenji. Nothing or no one.

The head bobbed quickly through the crowd, moving at an almost un-human pace. She followed it though, careful not to get too close. The head of hair made its way to a solitary temple that stood set back from reality. She looked at the temple and chuckled. Slowly, she pulled off her right mitten and dug into her pea-coat pocket for a crumpled piece of paper. Yes, she was at the right temple anyway. She looked the temple steps over carefully. It seemed that the temple belonged to a physic; a powerful one at that. She noted the details of demon wards and charms. The wind whipped against her already cold body as she stood admiring the temple and the unknown fighter who was certainly not her brother.

"Damn." She whispered into the blackness of night. Her brother couldn't have gotten past the demon wards, not without them going off. The boy was not Kenji; she had met a dead end. _Almost_, she reminded herself. This was the place that she had been directed to go to for shelter and for help. She certainly had hoped it wouldn't come to this point, but she didn't have a choice. Her body refused to move onto the premises, but in her head, she wanted nothing more than to meet the boy who carried a head of black hair like her brother's.

"May I help you?" a voice enchanted from her side. She turned to her left and found herself staring into emerald green eyes. Each one had plenty of depth and a sense of manners. Her body froze in the already cold weather.

"I…uh…I…" She stumbled over her words, trying not to sound stupid. _So much for that._ The boy noticed that she was nervous as he looked directly at her. His crimson hair was long and it relaxed over his shoulders. She watched as he smiled at her; a sense of humiliation on her face.

"Are you a friend of Yusuke's? Perhaps an admirer?" The boy asked. She shook her head and laughed. The night was getting chillier; she knew she should probably ask to see the head of the temple.

"Not really, I need to see…" She looked down at the crumpled piece of paper. "I need to see Master Genkai." She said confidently. The boy looked at her, confused as to why she was inquiring about the Master. Her toes wiggled in her boots to try and keep warm.

"What is your name?" The boy asked. He eyed her suspiciously, and she wondered if the paper was some really bad joke. She didn't know if she was supposed to give a fake name, but honestly, she couldn't think of one at that moment.

"Mika." She replied. The boy looked at her and sighed. He seemed to understand the implication that her name held. Mika looked over his gentle face and felt an instant rush of heat run threw her. She hoped that she hadn't sounded stupid the last few minutes.

"And you?" She asked, being polite. The boy smiled, forgetting his own manners.

"Kurama. Call me Kurama." Kurama added in, following her with his gaze. She was beautiful, like no other person Kurama had encountered before. Her long flowing golden hair dripped down her back. She was a gothic angel dressed in black with sweet honey colored hazel eyes. Kurama tried to remember what Genkai had told him earlier about their possible visitor. He snuck a look at her eyes once more and saw how bold, yet emotionless they were.

"Genkai's been expecting you for a couple days now." Kurama said as he motioned for the girl to follow him. She was smooth when she walked, an air of tight confidence around her. He worried that maybe she had been staying on the streets…_Or worse_.

"I went to visit a friend. Koenma told me to drop by when I got over my own attitude." Mika replied. Kurama laughed when he thought about the toddler telling off this girl. The two of them made it to the top of the stairs quickly; neither out of breath. When Kurama turned to look at the girl, she was looking up at the moonlight that broke through the clouds. Her entire being glowed in the night, like an angel.

"Come in, I'll call on Genkai for you, Mika." Kurama said. Mika turned to him and nodded. Her hands were tucked in her pockets defiantly, and Kurama could tell that she hadn't wanted to call on Genkai at all. He opened the temple doors and Mika walked right in to the chaos.


	2. Chapter 2: Trouble Maker

Chapter Two: Trouble Maker

Mika stepped into the chaos that was a Friday night at the temple. The gang was sitting down at the table playing cards and throwing objects and insults at each other. Kurama led Mika the other way before anyone noticed she was there. Before he led her away, Mika could see the black haired boy laughing at another boy. His eyes were warm and confident; not to mention brown. _Not Kenji at all_. Kenji's eyes were weak, lost, and of the blazing blue variety. _But I knew it wasn't him already_, she told herself.

"Mika, this way." Kurama said. She followed the boy down a lit hallway till he stopped and knocked on a door. Footsteps were heard on the other side of the door. It slid open to reveal an older woman with fading pink hair. She looked Mika up and down and motioned for only her to step in. Kurama walked away as the door shut.

"You must be Genkai?" Mika asked. Genkai nodded, pointing to a cushion on the other side of a small table. Mika sat down and Genkai waited patiently for the girl to say something more. When she didn't, Genkai decided she should tell her.

"I have to warn you ahead of time; there are never normal humans here. All of those who come here know the worlds and have been between them. You are free to speak of any of it if you want." Genkai said as she poured the girl a cup of tea. Mika began to warm up and she pulled off her mittens and her pea-coat. Genkai marveled at the intensity of her aura. Her body glowed with a shimmering golden light. _So Koenma was right_.

"I wasn't going to really talk to them anyway." Mika replied. It was good to know that her secrets were safe guarded in case. So the boy with the black hair was special; just like her. She felt the bile churn in her stomach. Her parents had called her special, they had called her perfect too; then they sent her away.

"Well, I'll have Kurama show you to your room." Genkai looked at the door and Kurama opened it. Mika was shocked that the boy was standing out there. It didn't seem like it was much fun to wait on other people.

"Thank you for your generosity." Mika bowed before she left the Master's room. She didn't know what to expect. The entire temple was filled with people who knew the secrets of each world.

"Pssh, what ever." Mika said out loud. Kurama looked at her, letting his gaze divide her into categories. Mika could feel the boy's stare on her. It made her feel light headed and insecure.

"Your room." Kurama said as he opened a door. Mika nodded and walked in, looking around. It was better than sleeping in a tree or under a bridge. She'd never done that before, but she didn't want to start now. Mika could feel the boy's presence at the door as she looked out of the window.

"Do you have anything sleeping clothes?" Kurama asked the girl. She turned to him slightly, just craning her chin over her right shoulder. It was a soft pose for her, and it caught Kurama off guard. His chest tightened and he could feel the girl's aura tug at Youko's senses.

"No. I don't." Mika replied. _I didn't think about that before I stormed off_, she laughed at herself. The boy held his hand up in protest to tell her to stay put. Mika had no intentions of leaving the room. It was small, but it had a very nice window that let in the moonlight. She could even see the flecks of snow.

"Oi, Kurama, is that y-" A voice said from the door way. Mika turned her head and saw the boy with the black hair. His face gave away his thoughts. The brown eyes had a comfortable radiance to them, and Mika found her self genuinely glad that this boy wasn't Kenji. _I will find him though_.

"Who? How? What the hell?!" Yusuke said as he marveled at the blond haired girl sitting in one of the guest rooms. Her back was towards Yusuke, but she turned a bit to meet his gaze. A hand tapped Yusuke's shoulder gently. He turned to his left and saw Kurama holding a pair of black pajamas. Yusuke backed out of the way as Kurama entered the room and the girl turned herself around to receive the pajamas.

"If you feel up to it, we will all be in the dinning room." Kurama reminded the girl. She just turned her head back towards the window, where a gentle blanket of snow flecks was falling. Kurama could feel the sugar sweetness of her aura tingle in Youko's (now awake) senses. The kitsune was starting to get hyper in the presence of the girl. Kurama pulled himself away and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Yusuke looked shocked and surprised.

"Kitsune, who is THAT!?" Yusuke asked. He couldn't believe his eyes. It was as if Koenma had dropped some black-clad angel at the Temple's steps. Kurama felt his breathing return to regular the moment he left the room.

"Her name is Mika. She is Genkai's guest at the request of Koenma." Kurama said as the two boys walked back to the commotion. Kurama kept replaying the image of Mika's gentle posture when she turned to see him. It made his heart race.

[Back Inside Mika's Room]

Mika let her hands wander over the pajamas. Her skin tingled when she felt the cool silk. The color was suited to her taste, and she wondered if Koenma had mentioned that she never wore much color. _Stupid toddler, who does he think he is?! Telling me that I need to be baby-sat?! Serves him right that I show up a few days later! Maybe it will give him a better sense of manners!_ Mika thought to herself. The view outside was serene and it didn't make Mika feel any better about following that boy. He looked at her like she was a natural phenomenon.

"Better call the cranky cat." Mika reminded herself. She dug into her jeans pocket and pulled out a sleek, black cell phone with a tiny cat charm dangling off of it. She flipped it open casually and held down the number 2 button. _Speed dial was the second greatest technological invention,_ she thought. _The first is the coffee maker._ The phone rang, and on the third ring, a girl picked up the phone.

"Is that you, Mika?!" The voice was eager, and angry. Mika sighed and rolled her eyes. She hadn't answered any one's call in a few days. Not since she was dragged to the Reikai and forced to become a charge under Master Genkai.

"Yeah. It's me Kohana. Chill out. I made it to Master Genkai's." Mika said, trying to assure her angry friend that she was safe. The line was quiet for a moment, but the results proved that Mika's attempt was futile.

"YOU STUPID GIRL! I THOUGHT YOU WERE HURT!! I WORRIED MY ASS OFF, AND FOR WHAT!? SO YOU COULD RUN AROUND JAPAN AND ALL OF IT JUST TO PISS THAT STUPID TODDLER OFF?! HONESTLY, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GROW UP!!?? I WAS SO SCARED!!" The voice yelled through the phone. Mika held it away from her, staring at it like it was something dead that came back to life. She waited until there was a pause before she said anything.

"I didn't run around Japan." Mika pulled out the ribbon in her hair and let the golden locks fall around her shoulders. The other line of the phone was silent.

"If that was your apology, it was bad." The girl said. Mika chuckled softly, and so did the other line. There was a definite sigh from the other side, and Mika knew that her best friend had other things to do then to listen to Mika's adventures.

"You know me. I'm not real good with all that stuff. But I do need to ask a favor. When I left, I didn't grab my stuff. It's all at your place, oh, and at Aki's. Can you grab it for me and bring it over? Please pretty kitty?" Mika asked. A hiss rang in her ears and she laughed. She knew her best friend hated to be called that.

"Just promise me you won't run off and give me another anxiety attack. Please?" The line asked. The voice was sad and nervous; a sort of motherly-tone to it. Mika nodded.

"Yeah. I think I can do that. At least for a few days." She laughed. The line was silent, but she could sense the worry was still there. "Relax, I'm going to stay. I'll let you know what's up when I see you." Mika reassured her best friend. The girl sighed on the phone and Mika could almost see her friend rolling her eyes and nodding. _I do make her give that expression a lot. I should be used to it_.

"Alright. See you tomorrow." The line replied. Mika thought of Kohana and the way that she mothered everything that Mika did. _At least one person loves me_. That thought pained her and she hung up the phone with out saying good bye. It was a frequent thing for Mika; her inability to actually say farewell without getting upset.

"Ugh!" Mika hung her pea coat over the bed post and laid her mittens over the small dresser she was provided with. She felt the crushing pain in her stomach from not eating. The night was still young to her, and she wondered if there was food in the kitchen. _What a dumb thought, of course there is food. There are a bunch of people here…_Mika walked towards the door and opened it slowly, checking to see which way the laughter was coming from.

Chapter 2 done! WOOT!


	3. Chapter 3: Intro To Misunderstanding

Chapter Three: Introduction To Misunderstanding

Mika could feel multiple energies coming through the house. They were distinct in color and size. Her eyes saw less then her mind did. When she closed her eyes, she counted the people in the house. _They are all between 2 rooms. Good_. Mika let herself slip out of the bedroom.

"Can I help you?" A voice asked from behind Mika. She turned around slowly to see a girl in a kimono with light blue hair. Her blood red eyes were soft and kind; an unexpected find. Mika looked at the girl and noticed how timid she seemed, standing in front of a stranger. At that moment, Mika's stomach growled, giving away her intent. The girl before her smiled and held her hand out to Mika. Mika drank in the girl's aura and held her hand out in return. There was a sweet and true nature to her.

"My name is Yukina. I'll take you to the kitchen." Yukina said softly as she led the new guest to the kitchen. Mika felt the heat of human contact through her hand. It reminded her of the few moments in her child hood when her parents had embraced her. The smooth skin that held her tightly. _Alone now. No contact_. Yukina pulled Mika through the dinning room, passing all of the other people in the temple. They stared at the blond haired girl in black. Kurama was surprised to see Yukina pulling her along.

"Is that her!?" Keiko asked when Yukina had pulled Mika all the way into the kitchen. Kurama and Yusuke nodded. The gang was left in confusion. They had never seen such naturally blond hair.

"I'm going to go into the kitchen. Would you like me to get anything?" Kurama asked. No one could think of anything, so Kurama hurried into the kitchen. Yukina had made Mika sit at the small table, and was setting out a meal before the blond haired girl. Mika didn't say a word to the Koorime; she just continued to look down at the table.

"I see you've met Yukina…" Kurama said when he sat down across from Mika. He noted the way that her golden eyes were solid and that they would not look at him directly. Mika continued to think about the few moments that she had the precious opportunity to feel human contact. She knew that Kenji would hug her and hold her, and they would be fine once she found him. He would love her; he had to.

"Here you go Mika-san. Please, eat up." Yukina smiled at the girl. Mika turned her head and for a second, she was grateful that Kohana wasn't with her. _Not that I don't appreciate her, but she would hate to see me in this state. Weak and pathetic me. No wonder my parents abandoned me_. With that thought, Mika pushed herself away from the table quickly, startling Yukina and Kurama. She looked at the food as if she was going to be sick. Her stomach flipped upside down and would not settle. Kurama stood up and quickly ushered Yukina out of the kitchen. The Koorime reluctantly went away.

"Mika, are you alright?" Kurama asked her. Youko was feeding off of her energy, and he had to struggle to keep the fox under control. Mika's eyes were wide, and Kurama could sense that something frightening was going through her mind. He approached her cautiously, but she pulled away from him.

"Don't." She said threateningly. Mika struggled to collect herself and block out the thoughts that consumed her day-in-day-out. Finally, she pulled herself together enough to sit back down in the chair and pick up the chopsticks. Kurama sat opposite of her, watching her, feeding Youko's appetite.

"Are you alright." Kurama wanted to know. Mika looked at him for once and he could see a fiery-hot distrust that was often present in Hiei when he was in a bad mood. _That's who I should have called in here_. Kurama thought.

"Don't pretend to care. It only insults people." Mika said before she started to eat. She ate a few pieces, always carefully placing it in her mouth and closing her lips. Kurama couldn't help but watch the process over and over. It was soft and it never changed. Mika was well aware that the boy was watching her eat; and it made her a bit nervous. His gaze went through her and she wondered what he was thinking. _He reminds me of what I picture of Kenji_. The name of her brother caused her to choke a bit on a piece of food that she had just swallowed. Kurama pushed some tea in front of her and she took it gratefully. She placed the chopsticks down and pushed the dish away.

"You need sleep." Kurama commented. He collected her plate and her cup. Mika hated that he could see her weakness at the moment. _I have to be stronger. I need to find him_. She stood up and walked towards the door, only to find Kurama's hand on her right arm. It pulled her towards him carefully. She looked at him and noticed an amber hint in his eyes. His body was warm and she could feel the heat radiate off of him as she stood right in front of him, at an almost uncomfortable place.

"For the sake of Master Genkai; do not go wandering off in the middle of the night." Kurama warned. He knew that she was a rebellious girl, but he was warning her for her own good.

"Hmph." Mika pulled her arm back, despite how good it felt for the boy to touch her. She brushed her blond hair behind her ears and walked out of the kitchen defiantly. _Just because he told me not to- I will_. Mika could feel the unknown rage bubble up inside her. She'd show him who was in control. He wasn't going to collar her. Her feet carried her back to her room, ignoring the looks from the others sitting in the dinning room. She slammed the door shut and sat down on the bed for a few moments, brooding at her own misfortune.

"Stupid boy! Insolent boy! Who does he think he is?!" Mika blushed. She tried to tell herself that she was really angry at him for trying to make her stay put; but the more her mind pushed it around, the more she realized that she was lying to herself. _The heat of his skin…so warm…_Mika snapped out of her own thoughts before they ventured too far. Quickly she grabbed her pea coat and her mittens and cracked the window open enough so that she could slip through it. Her feet hit the solid ground and Mika could feel the snow flakes touch her skin. The sky was wide open and welcoming her to fall into it and escape from everything. _No one tells the sky what to do. No one can send the sky away_. Mika walked a bit towards a group of trees slightly covered with the falling snow. The heat that came from her breath rose up into the air in a puff of steam.

"It's a lot colder than I thought. I wonder if Aki's flight came in okay." Mika murmured to herself. She removed her mittens and stuck them in her pockets. The snow disappeared when it touched her skin. The trees were becoming covered ever so slightly and Mika knew that soon they would be covered for good and only spring could free them. _I wonder if I get a spring_… Mika's golden hair whipped her face with the wind and she felt that maybe it was better to go back inside. Her body was tired and she really should have just lain down.

Mika looked around for her foot prints, but found everything was covered by the new snow that was falling heavily. _Fuck. You have to be kidding me!_ Mika inwardly laughed at her own stupidity. She hadn't thought about the snow covering up her own tracks.

"Didn't he warn you little girl?" A voice asked from behind Mika. It was deep and it was laced with lust. Mika could feel her skin instantly warm from the adrenaline rush she got from her own fear.

"Yeah. Are you going to warn me too?" Mika said coldly. The voice just laughed. Mika didn't turn around and try to reason with her own fear. There was no need to face it, she would fight if she had too.

"Walk straight ahead. You are facing your bedroom window, useless girl." The voice said. Mika growled and the voice's comment, but she could sense that the voice was teasing her to see how she would react. Mika put one foot in front of another, too angry to wonder if she should trust the mysterious voice. When she reached her bedroom window, she realized that the voice had helped her not die a lowly and miserable death. Quickly she climbed back in, changed into the silk black pajamas and braided her hair for bed.

"Ugh, Kenji, where are you?" Mika looked out of her window into the dark night. It was what people feared the most; the unknown. Mika just pulled the covers tightly around her self. She wasn't scared of the unknown, nor of the dark. They were comforting and oddly familiar to her. Unlike the temple, with Master Genkai and the boy Kurama, who to her was too simple and care free. He was the type of boy that all the parents would want to marry their daughter too. A person with an easy life; no worries, no secrets, no rejection. Mika could feel her heart race with the thoughts of the red head. She tried to ignore them. Slowly, Mika felt herself drift off into a pleasant sleep.


	4. Chapter 4: Cranky Cat

Chapter Four: Cranky Cat

Mika felt pressure on her chest and opened her eyes. On her was a brown cat with happy brown eyes. The cat pawed at Mika's nose and Mika smiled. The cat appreciated Mika's scratches behind the ears and finally jumped towards the end of the bed so Mika could sit up. Mika rubbed her eyes and looked at where she was. The room looked different in the morning light. It was bigger, and it was friendlier then her first impression had led her to believe.

"Good morning Kohana." Mika yawned. The cat arched its back and then stretched out into a human form right before Mika's eyes. The girl had long brown hair and happy brown eyes.

"Good morning Mika. How was your night? I see you didn't run away this time." Kohana replied. She straightened out her navy turtle neck and sat on Mika's unmade bed. Mika yawned again and held her hand out to Kohana. Kohana rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Ungrateful girl." Kohana mumbled. Mika smiled. Kohana pointed to the dresser and Mika saw the back pack empty and guessed everything was already put away in the drawers.

"Thanks. No coffee?" Mika asked honestly. Kohana shook her head.

"Any idea how odd it is to see a brown cat carrying an over stuffed back pack? Coffee would have been much harder to explain. And I didn't get everything from Aki's. His plane hadn't come in yet." Kohana said. Mika nodded. She shook her hair and felt it fall over her shoulders. Kohana leaned forward and pushed the blond hair behind Mika's ears.

"Are you taking care of yourself? Where did you go after Koenma's? Have you met the other people living here? How are you feeling?" Kohana asked a multitude of questions. Mika just sat up in bed, letting her self adjust to being awake. Kohana wasn't satisfied with Mika's silence.

"Mika, pay attention." Kohana begged. Mika looked at her friend seriously. Kohana could see the cold ice in Mika's eyes. There was no feeling in anything about her until one learned the way that Mika worked. Kohana knew that Mika could barely take care of herself. The blond didn't know how to function in mainstream society; but she was surprisingly able to work with what ever she had to get what ever she wanted. Kohana had seen Mika work her body language to get information out of men. It was impressive to Kohana. Mika was her mission in life, and Kohana would take on what ever hardships that Mika did. It was what Kohana was destined to do.

"I met two of them besides Master Genkai. I hadn't eaten in a while before last night. I just went around after Koenma's. I don't want to be baby-sat. I want to find Kenji, I NEED to find him." Mika said to appease her friend. Kohana nodded, understanding Mika's reasoning to hunting her brother down.

"Alright, I understand. Why don't you get up for a while? Eat something." Kohana suggested. Mika was silent, lost in thought. Kohana sighed and stood up. She walked over to the dresser and picked up Mika's hairbrush. The blond hair was tangled from tossing and turning, but Kohana managed to brush it till it was shinning.

"You don't have to baby me. I am capable of brushing my own hair." Mika told the cat demon. Kohana handed her the hair brush.

"Yeah, I know. But sometimes you go catatonic and I figure I could at least make you look presentable. You are really lazy." Kohana laughed. Mika looked at her friend's happy smile. It was a comforting one that led Mika to believe that she could one day smile like that.

"Ha, funny. Alright Kohana, I will call you later when I have time. Everyone will be awake soon." Mika said as she let her legs hang over the side of the bed. Kohana nodded and with a quick movement, she was back into the fuzzy brown cat. Mika closed her eyes and looked down her feet. They seemed to grow farther away from her, and Mika remembered when she was young, how close her toes were. _Mom used to tease me about how short I was_. Mika thought to herself.

"Oh, you are awake." A voice said. Mika looked up at the voice and saw the red head in her door way. Kurama smiled when Mika lifted her head up and met his gaze. She was still in her pajamas, but her hair was shimmering in the morning sun light. Every moment he saw her, she was radiant.

"I have been for a while now." Mika replied. She quickly pulled herself together. The red head was already dressed for the day and his green eyes sparkled when he spoke to Mika. She could feel how tightly concealed his energy was. It was all boxed into a neat little corner. Mika could understand.

"Would you like to get dressed and have some coffee? No one will be up for a while more." Kurama offered. Mika weighed her options and nodded. Kurama closed the door and went to the kitchen to prepare the coffee. Mika's feet slid against the cold floor. She stood up and connected her fingers into a stretch above her head.

"Coffee. Yum." Mika remembered Aki's promise to bring her authentic French coffee when he returned from his trip. Aki was her crazy half Japanese- half French friend who was constantly bugging her and Kohana. Mika walked over to the dresser and opened one of the drawers. Inside were a few tops folded with the utmost care. Mika felt a smile creep up on her face. _Kohana, you silly girl_. Mika pulled a black sweater out and opened the drawer below it to find some pants. Quietly, Mika undressed in the room. She could feel the growing cold on her skin, it gave her goose-bumps and she shivered when she pulled the sweater over her head. It was a fluffy sweater that warmed her up. Kohana had also remembered to bring Mika some socks; which Mika was thoroughly thankful for. Mika opened the bedroom door slowly so as not to wake any one, and then walked out towards the kitchen. She entered the kitchen as Kurama was pouring her a cup of coffee.

"Just in time." Kurama mentioned. Mika nodded sheepishly, remembering that she was slightly rude to the red-head yesterday. Kurama passed her the mug of hot coffee.

"Want anything to go with it?" Kurama asked. Mika shook her head. Kurama smiled and sat opposite her at the table. The coffee slid down her throat and coated her insides with a warm feeling. She sighed happily and looked up at the boy.

"Do you always wake up so early?" Mika asked. Kurama looked up at Mika from the newspaper he had pulled out. He nodded.

"Do you?" He replied. Mika shook her head.

"No. Not always." Mika was short about her replies. She didn't want to seem too friendly to anyone. Her stay at the temple was only temporary until she found Kenji. And if she had a say about when that was, it would be soon. Kurama went back to reading his paper, trying not to smile at the blond. Her hair was wavy and it was pulled back into the same black ribbon that it was in the day before. The honey colored eyes were studying him and he could feel her judging him. It wasn't beyond what he thought she would do.

"So, how long are you going to be here?" Kurama asked her. She looked at him, maintaining her space.

"I don't know. Am I pressing on Master Genkai's kindness?" Mika asked politely. She was more than happy to leave; it was that stupid toddler that was keeping her here. Koenma had threatened to send the Spirit Detectives out to bring her to the temple. Mika didn't appreciate that. After all, it was the Spirit Detectives who ultimately killed her parents. They were responsible for the death of her family. Everyone except Kenji, who was too young to even hurt anyone.

"No. Not at all. She is very pleased to have you here." Kurama responded. Mika relaxed slightly and drank more of her coffee. The atmosphere was soft and quiet, unlike the bustling cities. She had spent most of her time lately in the city looking for Kenji. Mika had hoped that Kenji was in the Ningenkai looking for her.

"Oh. Well, I wouldn't be staying here if it weren't for that stupid Koenma…" Mika mentioned. Kurama closed his newspaper and looked up at Mika.

"Oh? You didn't mention that. Why did he make you come here?" Kurama asked. He of course knew the answer, but believed it better to go with what ever the guest decided to disclose. Mika gazed at the red head. She was surprised he didn't know already.

"I'm a trouble maker apparently." Mika smirked. _Not my problem if Koenma didn't say anything. No one needs to know anyways_. Kurama laughed. Mika set the coffee cup down and pulled her feet up onto the chair with her. Kurama noticed how young she actually looked when she did childish things.

"Would you like more coffee?" Kurama asked politely. Mika shook her head.

"No. Thank you though." Mika said. Both heads turned as the kitchen door opened and a bunch of people pushed into the kitchen. They all stopped to look at Mika with wide eyes. That was when Mika got a full steady glimpse at the boy with the black hair. His name was Yusuke. She had remembered Kurama calling him that. Yusuke stood looked at her with a smile. His chocolate eyes were warm and playful. Mika waved at him.

"Hello again." Mika said. Yusuke came over to her and smiled deeper. Everyone looked at the two of them carefully.

"Hey." Yusuke replied. He looked at the girl again and realized that she was probably older than him. Her honey eyes weren't sparkly or happy; but they had a special hue to them.

"Yusuke, do you know Genkai's guest already?" A girl with brown hair asked as she came up to Yusuke's side. Yusuke nodded a bit. The girl also had happy brown eyes and she looked like she was emotionally attached to the boy.

"Yeah, I walked into her room on accident while looking for Kurama. But I don't even know her name to be honest." Yusuke laughed. Mika smiled at him. She could feel how honest his aura was. Behind them was the girl Yukina, with two other boys. One had carrot colored hair and was ogling Yukina. The other boy made Mika's chest tighten. Her eyes fixed on the boy. His hair was black with a white starburst, but that wasn't what caught Mika's attention. His aura was menacing and black, and it was cold. Cold and distant; _just like me_. Mika thought to herself. The boy turned to look at her and his blood red eyes forced her to look back at Yusuke.

"Mika. My name is Mika, Yusuke." Mika tried to fixate herself on other things. Yusuke was happy that Mika already knew his name. He was too trusting of her. Kurama was busy helping cook breakfast now, and she couldn't carry on conversation with him.

"This is Keiko. I know you've met Yukina. That is Kuwabara, he's an idiot. And he is Hiei, he's crabby in the morning. OUCH!" Yusuke's head flew forward and Mika shot her hand in the air to catch the sake cup that Hiei had thrown at Yusuke. Yusuke rubbed his head and looked at Mika as she set the cup on the table gently. Hiei eyed the new girl with suspicion.

"Aren't we all though?" Mika said as she stood up and walked out of the kitchen gracefully. Yusuke drooled behind her. Keiko rolled her eyes and elbowed Yusuke in the ribs.

"She is so bad ass!" Yusuke said when Mika had left the room. Kurama laughed and looked at Hiei, who was still trying to survey Mika.

"I think she is very nice. What do you think Kazuma?" Yukina asked. Kuwabara stuttered and looked at Yukina lovingly.

"She is nice. Very distant. Kinda like the shrimp who threw the cup at Yusuke." Kuwabara said. Hiei glared at Kuwabara but the carrot haired boy was too busy helping Yukina to even notice the death glares.

"She is something else. That is for sure." Kurama said to Keiko.


	5. Chapter 5: Distractions

Chapter Five: Distractions

Mika lay on her bed and admired the fresh snow outside. She had finally gotten a chance to use the bath. Her blond hair was soaking wet and she was back into pajamas. A knock on her door made Mika pop her head up.

"Yes?" Mika asked.

"It's Genkai."

"Come in, please." Mika said. The door opened to reveal the pink haired old fighter. Mika sat up on her bed and slid off of it. The cold floor was nice against the extra warmth in her body since the bath water was very hot.

"How are you adjusting?" Genkai asked. Mika motioned for the Master to sit down on her bed. Genkai walked over and sat. Mika sat on the edge and stared out at the wall.

"I am fine. Has Koenma not told them about me?" Mika asked. Genkai observed her.

"Oh, they know who you are. They know your name, and that you are a special case." Genkai said. _Special. There's that damn word again_… Mika rubbed her nose and looked at the Master. Genkai had an air of openness to her and Mika wanted nothing more than to be honest.

"I don't belong here. I belong with my brother. I don't want these people getting attached to me…" Mika said honestly. Genkai nodded.

"But what about you getting attached to them?" Genkai asked. Mika laughed jokingly.

"Not a problem. It isn't possible. My only place in life is with my brother Kenji. I don't belong with these people. They are so carefree. Nothing seems to bother them." Mika admitted. She thought about the red head and how he wasn't fazed by anything. And Yusuke, the black haired boy; he was so warm and trusting. It would be their downfalls.

"I think you judge too quickly, Mika. You should take another look." Genkai warned as she walked towards the bedroom door. Mika stayed on the bed and nodded in slight agreement. Genkai closed the bedroom door behind her.

Mika let the master's words float around in her head for a bit before she decided to change clothes and head out to look for her brother. She couldn't stand being cramped up inside the house. _Full of those people_. She had to keep reminding herself not to get too close. Carefully she put on her pea-coat and her mittens and crept outside the temple towards the bustling city.

She walked for miles and miles, looking for a sign of her brother somewhere, anywhere. _He's not here. He's not even looking for me I bet_. Mika let the thoughts pile up against her and finally, when she thought she could take no more, she spotted a familiar shade of black in the crowd of thousands of ningens. Her heart raced as she practically leapt through the crowd to reach him. The hair bobbed behind other people and weaved in and out of the crowds as if it was a test to finally reach him. _Slow down! Please!_ Mika kept repeating to herself. She needed to find him, needed to have him back in her life.

"Mika, is that you!?!" A warm voice called out to her as a gentle hand grasped her arm. Mika turned her head to see Yusuke and his friends standing right next to her. Quickly, she turned her head back towards the black hair, only to find that he was gone.

"You idiot! You just made me lose him! You stupid fool!" Mika yelled at Yusuke and slapped his hand away from her. Her eyes were full of malice as Yusuke looked at her. The once soft and fresh angel in black was now a full blown nightmare. Kurama stepped forward.

"Mika, please try to calm down. Yusuke did not mean for you to lose who ever you were following." Kurama softly whispered to the girl. Her face was rigid with hate and Kurama could sense that her fists were tightly balled together.

"You are just as foolish as the rest of them! You have no respect for anyone's privacy! Get the hell out of my way and stay away from me!" Mika yelled as she stormed off, back towards where she had first spotted her brother's black hair. _Kenji got away_. Mika couldn't begin to let herself feel excited that she had seen her brother's black hair in the Ningenkai when she was so angry at her house mates for disrupting her hunt for her brother.

"Stupid people! Gah!" Mika stomped towards a large snow-covered tree and kicked it. The snow fell down around her and occasionally a bit of the heavy flecks brushed her skin.

"Getting angry isn't a good thing. That's how you got yourself into this mess in the first place, Mika." A voice said from behind her. Mika growled and slowly turned around. There, standing before her was Aki, with a slightly tilted French hat and a large bag.

"Shut up Aki! I was so close to getting him back! You would never understand!" Mika said. Aki sighed and pulled Mika into a big hug. The girl didn't resist, but she didn't par-take in the hugging.

"I brought you the coffee you wanted. It should still be fresh. Let's head back to my place." Aki said. Mika remained motionless, but Aki knew that she would follow.

"I hope you have room for some news. I bring it straight from the Reikai." Aki told his best friend. Mika followed him to the bus and boarded with him.

"This better be good." Mika sighed. Her mood was slowly dipping back down to level headed. Aki smiled brightly.

"Oh it is. That I can promise Princess."

Chapter 5 Done! Yay!

Leave me some lovin' and some thanks! It makes me happy!


	6. Chapter 6: A Salute To Princess

Chapter Six: A Salute To Princess

Mika let that word sink into her skin. It had been so long since she had been addressed with her proper title.

"Aki, you know that no one calls me that any more. It isn't necessary." Mika replied. Aki sighed and pushed Mika's blond hair behind her ears.

"But! I like to remind you that you are of noble descent. It is a good thing. After all, we are searching for your brother, the prince. It is a good idea to remember that we are working with a total different level of demon here." Aki said matter-of-fact. Mika breathed in the evening air and let her lungs freeze with the cold temperatures.

"Let's refrain from talking about this in front of ningens. Please. I'd prefer not to be burned at the stake Aki. Just because you are human doesn't mean that you can go and talk about demons like they are the norm in this world." Mika reminded her young friend. Aki nodded and waited until the two of them were safe inside Aki's apartment. The apartment was neat and tidy and it was arranged for a family of three. Mika sat comfortably on the couch in the living room and Aki plopped down on the same couch.

"You said you had news? Good I hope." Mika mentioned. Aki nodded.

"It seems that your brother is indeed in the Ningenkai. Particularly around here. Why don't you look surprised?" Aki asked when he noticed that Mika didn't look happy or even sad. Mika shook her head.

"I saw him. I tried to follow him, but I was disrupted by one of my house mates at Master Genkai's. I sort of… got angry with him too." Mika rolled her eyes and sighed. Aki slapped his forehead gently.

"I do hope you are going to apologize. It isn't as if those people know. Koenma was very secretive when he placed you in Genkai's care." Aki said lightly, remembering the conversation between the old fighter and the Prince of the Spirit World. Of course he also know that Genkai knew the truth of Mika's past. There was no hiding that from the very brilliant fighter.

"Of course I know that they are clueless. Who cares if I apologize!?! I don't need to be getting close to them anyways! They are no part of my life! I don't need anyone but Kenji!" Mika said defiantly. Aki looked at her with sad eyes.

"You do know that hurts me when you say that…. Don't you? Kohana feels the same way. Perhaps if you saw the pleasures of trying to live life, you might realize that you can survive without your brother…." Aki added. Mika glared at him and stood up rather quickly. The tension mounted in the room and Aki knew that Mika hated to be contradicted.

"I am sorry. I know that Kenji is your world, but sometimes I feel as if you forget that Kohana and I exist soley to protect you and see that you are happy in your life. You make that difficult very often. And with no gratitude, it is very difficult to enjoy my job." Aki laughed. Mika walked to the front door and pulled on the knob.

"Is that all you have to say to me?" Mika asked, ice brimming over every word in her sentence. Aki nodded and watched as Mika left the apartment, gently closing the door behind her. He knew that he had perhaps said too much for the girl to process in only a short amount of time, but there was a warning sent to him from Koenma himself; that a time would come when Mika would have to learn the truth about her heritage, and she might not like what she hears. Aki knew that even though the blond pretended to be tough, that she was helpless, hopeless, and had been placing her happiness entirely on the idea that her brother was going to love her and be there for her for the rest of her life.

"You silly girl, what are you going to do when you find out that the people you live with are a part of the group that slaughtered your parents? Perhaps if you were to get close, you might learn that love is still possible… I hope you find it Mika. I hope you do."


	7. Chapter 7: A Sliver Of Hope

Chapter Seven: A Sliver Of Hope

The trees outside of the temple were covered in the heavy snow when Mika finally came trudging up the steps at two in the morning. She'd managed to wander around the city a few more times before she gave up for the night. The single spotting of her brother's head of hair had given her hope. It was a small hope, but it was dancing around inside of her. Slowly, Mika wandered around the side of the temple, buying her time before she would have to inevitably apologize for her outburst. The snow crunched underneath her boots and she followed its glistening path deeper into the forest until she came upon a frozen lake. The cold air didn't whip against her as she sat down next to it. Mika ran her mittens over a strand of her long blond hair. It was the unhappy memory of sunshine.

_That's how I've always been._ Mika looked out over the lake and felt shivers run down her spine. She pulled her gloves off and looked at her hands. They were pink and healthy, almost too pink and healthy for the death that winter had spread.

"Here you are." A voice said behind Mika. She whipped her head around really quick to see a head of flaming hair. His green eyes were guarded, but were warm none the less. Mika pulled herself back together and turned around. _How did he find me? Why couldn't I sense him?_ Kurama walked over towards her and stood next to her, not looking at the girl.

"I suppose you are here to chastise me…" Mika spoke softly. Kurama didn't move. He let the girl fill her own head with thoughts until she would explode and eventually let a bit of herself leak through.

"Well?" Mika asked. She looked up at the red head and noticed he hadn't moved. His form was slight and he didn't look cold in the slightest. Mika sighed and looked down at her hands. They were still pink and warm, despite the freezing temperatures.

"These hands are the reason I'm alone." Mika finally said after a few minutes of silence. Kurama could hear Youko snicker in his head. He looked down at her, unquestioningly. Mika could feel the boy's stare on her. It ebbed at her insides and forced her mouth to say stupid things.

"My parents sent me away when I was a child. I was 'special'. I was different." Mika could feel her insides squirm when she spoke her thoughts out loud. It was the first time that she had ever told anyone anything personal of free will. The boy seemed indifferent to that information.

"Not like you would understand… Such a carefree life here in the Ningenkai. You all have it so easy… That's the problem with being here. I don't know how to interact with you people. You belong here. You don't know what it's like to be different! To be removed and abandoned because you weren't like anyone else! These hands! These DAMN HANDS!" Mika could feel the hot tears drip out of the corners of her eyes the more she felt words leave her mouth. She didn't know why the silence made her want to talk. _That damn boy doesn't even care… maybe that's why I can say it. He already hates me, what's the point in him trying to like me anyway…_Mika buried her face in her hands and let the tears continue to leave her.

"You pass judgment before it is passed on you, and maybe that's your down fall." Kurama finally spoke. Mika looked up at him and noticed that he didn't look hateful or angry. He didn't look at her, but he didn't look away from her either.

"Just go away. Get out of here." Mika said. _I can't take his damn silence!! It'll drive me mad!!_ Mika wiped her tears away on her warm bare hands. Kurama looked down at her and noticed just how fragile Mika actually looked when she let her guard down. Her pale hair looked limp and useless and her normally emotionless honey eyes were welled up with pain and tears. Kurama had to keep himself from reaching out to the girl.

"Please don't stay out here too long. It's very cold." Kurama said as he walked away. Mika felt the familiar pain running through out her veins. _Rejection_. After a few moments, Kurama was out of her sight and she felt like she could finally start to recover herself. She reminded herself not to be alone in his company ever again. It would cause a dent in her barrier. She couldn't afford to let anyone interrupt her hunt for Kenji. He was her mission.

"But what happens _after_ I find him??" She wondered.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mika snuck into her room an hour later, gently falling onto her bed from the window ledge. The bed was cold and the sheets felt inviting. Mika kicked her boots off lazily without getting off of her bed. She shrugged herself out of her pea coat and threw her mittens to the floor. Her blond hair lay fanned out under her head, and Mika absently tugged on a piece of it. _At least no one is barging in here…_The room was silent as Mika squirmed out of her t-shirt. She started to undo her jeans when she heard a noise in her room.

"Who's there?" Mika said, level headed. She was going to kill the pervert in her room. Quickly, she pulled her shirt back up to her chest to cover it.

"Seriously you pervert, who is there?!" Mika started to get angry. She felt her way around in the dark and reached out for the switch but she felt a hand pull her close instead.

"HEL-" Mika started to say, but she felt the pressure of a warm hand against her mouth. Her body shivered from the touch.

"Don't scream. I'm not here to hurt you Princess." A deep voice told her. Her heart sped up when she heard the voice reference her title. Mika craned her head to look at the figure and realized that it was a man and he had his other hand covering his eyes.

"Please put your top back on. It's inappropriate for me to speak with you like this, your highness." The voice said. The man uncovered Mika's mouth and Mika quickly put her top back on and re-did the button on her jeans. The man stood straight in the blackness and Mika wished that she could see his face.

"Who are you? How do you know me?" Mika asked softly. She wanted to shake information out of the mysterious man in her bedroom.

"I work for your brothers. Kenji had me track you down." The man said. Mika felt her skin crawl. _Brothers?!_

"Did you say brothers? With an s at the end!?" Mika coughed. The man did not answer.

"Kenji would like to meet with you later this week, when it is safe for you to leave the temple. Come to Lake Wazaku. We will be waiting for you Princess." The man said. Mika stumbled forward to try and find the man to make him stay.

"WAIT! STOP!! COME BACK HERE!! COME BACK!!" Mika yelled. She tripped over something on the floor and the lights sprang on. Quickly, there was someone by her side and they were shaking her softly.

"MIKA! Are you alright?! Hiei, check the perimeter! Yusuke, get Yukina!" The voice demanded. Mika looked up and saw green eyes checking over her. Kurama was right there with her.

"Mika, who was in here?!" Kurama asked her. Mika looked up at Kurama, who was kneeling by her. The boy looked worried and frantic and for once looked like he was in jeopardy of losing something. Mika shook her head and looked at the red head.

"A man. I… I couldn't see his face. I didn't know him." Mika was careful with how much information she gave away. Kurama must have sensed that there was more to what Mika was saying, because the boy pulled Mika into a tight embrace and didn't let go.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here faster." Kurama let himself breathe in the girl's scent. She was sweet and vanilla coated. He couldn't believe that he hadn't sensed another person in Mika's room. The girl had been so quiet getting in, but even then, Kurama was to be aware of everything that the girl did. Genkai had entrusted Mika to him. Slowly, Kurama let go of Mika. Her face was shocked, and Kurama felt himself flush a bit at his rather rash actions.

"I'm… I'm okay. Please, I'm fine." Mika stood up by herself just in time for a hissing brown cat to come running into the room, looking frantic. It found it's target and jumped at Mika.

"Kurama!! I was chasing this brown cat!! It's going crazy!! It got in my- oh! There it is! I'm gonna beat the shit outa that cat! It bit me!" Yusuke roared. Mika threw her empty hand out in front of her and semi-growled herself.

"Do not touch this cat! This is my best friend!"


	8. Chapter 8: An Unspeakable Truth

Chapter Eight: An Unspeakable Truth

The entire room was filled with silence as Mika tried to explain that the brown angry cat in her arms was actually her best friend.

"Damnit. Kohana, would you help me out?" Mika growled at her best friend. The cat looked at her and meowed.

"As your Royal highness, I command that you transform and stop playing these games before I fry your fuzzball ass!" Mika yelled. The cat hissed and then jumped off of Mika's cradled arms. Quickly, Kohana materialized in front of the tantei.

"Wait. Did you say Royal highness?" Kuwabara asked as he stared at the golden angel girl. Hiei flitted back into the room and looked at the girl.

"That explains it." Hiei said. Mika did not want to look at the scarlet eyed boy, but forced herself to glare at him. _What makes sense?! Stop with these riddles!_ Mika rolled her eyes. Hiei glared back at her.

"Oh, we have a guest!" A voice said from the hall way. Genkai peeked into Mika's small room to see the entire gang cramped in.

"I think we should sit and talk about this. There are a few key points missing Mika." Kurama said. Mika looked at him and inwardly hated Kohana for making her out herself like that. It was a selfish thing for the cat to do.

"Fine."

# # # # # # # # In The Dining Room # # # # # # # # # #

"Start from the beginning." Botan asked nicely. Mika punched Kohana as the girl sat down. Kohana glared at Mika.

"I'll do it. Because she's too much of a pain in the ass." Kohana said. The gang looked at her and than at Mika, who glared and did nothing to protest.

"Mika is the Princess of the Darkness Demons. She herself is a Light Demon. Only Darkness Demons can produce Light Demons, and it is very rare for them to do. However, during the time that Mika was born, and even to today, Light Demons are hunted down by the Darkness Demons. You see, Mika's family sent her to the Ningenkai because they feared for her life--" Mika cut Kohana off.

"They abandoned me! Don't even try to sugar coat it! They didn't want me to get in the way of them ruling the kingdom! Don't lie about it! Just accept it Kohana!" Mika yelled. Her eyes were dark and brooding and she was so far into her own pain that she didn't realize the empathy flowing from a certain fire demon sitting across the table from her.

"My family and another family were nominated to protect her, but because my parents aren't citizens, we cannot adopt Mika. The other family does not even live in Japan. It has been difficult to keep track of Mika. She's temperamental and she's stubborn. She won't always tell you the truth, and if you tell her not to do something, she does it anyways." Kohana continued, outlining all the points that should piss Mika off, but she found that she didn't care anymore. _I won't be alone in a week. I won't be this person anymore. I will have Kenji, and possibly another brother too. I wish I had kept that man here…_ Mika didn't pay attention to the rest that Kohana said. She basically told the housemates that Mika was obsessive, loyal, and fierce. It was true too. _I am that way_.

"So your only goal is to find your brother Kenji, who is the heir to the Darkness Demon Kingdom?" Yusuke asked. Mika nodded. She liked the way he spoke to her. Level. She never felt like she had to bump up against him to make him understand what she wanted. The red head and her had that problem. He didn't understand her. But he had been right about her judging too fast. _And his touch was warm…_Mika brushed those thoughts out of her head.

"If this little meeting is over, I have better shit to do than to sit around here and try to bond." Mika said as she got up from her seat and walked off into her room. Kohana looked after her and when she was sure that the girl was out of ear shot, she cleared her throat.

"You cannot let her go to her brother. It will result in terrible tragedies. Demons will start dying for no reason. My people have reason to believe that she is the Atrus Key for the Darkness Demons. If they get a hold of her, and sacrifice her, she could wipe out entire portions of the Makai at a whim." Kohana spoke seriously and had everyone's attention. Yusuke looked bothered by the new bit of information.

"Is there anyway to stop it? I mean, can we just take it out of her or something?" He asked Kohana. The cat demon looked at the boy and sighed.

"Don't you think that if we knew that we would have done that? I would die for my Princess, but even my people do not know how to access the Atrus Key from her. She doesn't even know." Kohana said. Her eyes were sunken and she looked tired. Keiko stood up and startled everyone.

"Kohana, why don't we make you a bed in the next room so you can stay here and get some sleep? You look awfully tired." Keiko suggested. Kohana smiled and thanked Keiko.

"Yes. That sounds wonderful. Jaganshi, may I have a word with you?" Kohana asked Hiei. Hiei eyed her suspiciously. He did not like the story of the girl's powers or her life. It was too familiar with his own. Kohana led him away from the group so that they two could speak privately.

"I need you to use your empathy powers on her." Was all that Kohana said that made Hiei walk away.

"No, onna." Hiei felt the cat demon attack him from behind. She wrapped her arm around his neck and held her nails to his throat.

"If you think I won't sacrifice you to save my Princess, you are sadly mistaken. You will use them. I don't care how you get to her. Take her over if you have to. I'll deal with the damage. I need to know what she is keeping inside." Kohana said determinedly. Hiei stared at her with wide eyes. He couldn't believe what the cat demon was saying!

"Did she really just okay me to….?' Hiei thought to himself. Kohana stared intently at the fire demon and waited for an answer. Hiei knew he wasn't going to get out of this without a fight, and he did secretly want to help the light demon. He didn't know why there was a tug between the girl and him, but from the first time he saw her, he had been trying to avoid her because she simply reminded him of his own problems.

"Hnn." Hiei replied. Kohana let go of Hiei and walked back to where a nervous Botan and Keiko were. Kohana smiled and settled their worries. Hiei growled at himself.

'How in the hell am I supposed to get her to hold still!?' Hiei thought to himself.


	9. Chapter 9: Difficult Request

Chapter Nine: Difficult Request

Mika shuffled around her room, dragging her feet against the wood floors. She couldn't make sense of why Kenji wanted the man to deliver the message.

"Why not him? And why did the guy say brothers?! Do I have another one?! I don't remember!!" Mika sighed angrily and sat down on the edge of her bed. There was a knock on the door and Mika growled. _Who wants to talk to me after that?_ Slowly, Mika rose to her feet to open the door. When she pulled the door to the side, she saw Hiei standing in her door way.

"What do you want?" She asked him rudely. There was something about the boy that pissed her off and made her feel uncomfortably under scrutiny. Hiei looked at her, running his options through his head. The cat demon's request had been very difficult to comply with.

"Talk." Hiei said. Mika stared at him in shock. _With me?_ The door moved on it's own as Hiei came into the room. Mika didn't remember moving it or ever letting him in. The boy walked into the middle of the room as Mika shut the door and turned to face him.

'I am going to have to make this fast.' Hiei thought to himself.

"Listen-" Mika began to talk, but found that there were a set of lips upon her own in less than a second. Her body warmed up at the contact of skin upon skin. Mika's wrists were gathered together by one of Hiei's as he pushed her against a wall. Mika opened her eyes as she felt Hiei's body pressing against hers.

'What the…!!' Mika thought to herself. Mentally, she was still trying to gather her thoughts together when Hiei used his feet to pin her legs against the wall. Mika realized there was no way to move and struggle. The panic finally set in.

"Hmmmmppphhhmmm Hmmm Hmmphhhmmm!" Mika mumbled through both hers and Hiei's lips. His kiss was deep and it filled her heart up entirely as she thought about how close he was to her. The heart beat in his chest was echoing in her ears. In her head, Mika was consumed by Hiei's deep red aura. That is when she noticed that the boy was pulling his bandana off. When she looked at his forehead, she only saw a green eye. It scared her and she started to fight back.

{Damnit! Hold still!} Hiei told her. Mika looked at him shocked and scared. The boy had just spoken to her without using his mouth! _Help! Help!_ Hiei ran his hand up the girl's neck and onto her cheek. The touch of her skin and the taste of her felt good to his senses. He began to lose himself in her. That's when the cat demon's words echoed through his head, 'I'll deal with the damage.'

{Your stupid brother isn't coming to get you. Give up.} Hiei told the girl. Mika growled and pushed back against him. Images floated through her head and into Hiei's as he ran his hand along Mika's jaw line.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ FLASH BACK ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

_Mika ran towards her brother who was lying on the ground crying heavily. The boy was small and frail and he looked injured. Quickly, Mika sensed that her brother had fallen out of the tree that the two had always played in._

"_Kenji! Are you okay!?" Mika called to her brother. Her blond hair fell in front of her face as she fell to her knees. Kenji sniffled and cried out as Mika turned his leg towards her. The bone was clearly broken, and it was a clean break under the skin. Her hands wandered over his leg until she felt the glow. Warmth spread from her finger tips to her palms and then down into Kenji's leg. The black haired boy looked up at his sister as she healed his leg. Slowly, Mika's internal view could see the leg correcting its break. Kenji lost the feeling of pain and watched as his sister's eyes grew dull and weak. The glow of Mika's hands stopped and she slumped over Kenji's leg. He grabbed her and pulled her into his arms._

"_Mika, are you alright?!" Kenji asked his sister. Mika listened to the sound of Kenji's heart beat. It was faster, more vibrant than her own. Her body was tired and she couldn't believe that she had just healed her brother, even against her better judgment. She didn't want to be revealed to her parents. Kenji pushed her hair out of her face. Kenji noticed that even at age seven, his sister was showing great power and signs of a bright future. He held her closer in fear that she would touch the cold ground and get sick._

"_I'm… okay. Kenji… don't tell…I'll get in… trouble…" Mika whispered to her brother before she drifted off to sleep from exhaustion._

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ END FLASH BACK ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hiei could feel the pain of waking up one day and realizing that Mika was no longer a member of the family. He saw the way that she was dragged out of the castle, a bag thrown over her head and her being ushered out of the castle secretly and left in the Ningenkai. It physically hurt him to file through her memories. And then he hit a blank. There was a giant wall of black that Hiei could not break through. There were no memories of anyone but Kenji. No memories of the actual location of the castle, or the people. Just Kenji. Only Kenji.

'No wonder she is so wrapped up with finding him.' Hiei told himself. Hiei could feel Mika's lips push against his and then he could taste the salt from her tears flowing down her face. Hiei opened his eyes to see Mika's face contorted in pain from the forced memories. Her body was pushing against his desperately for some comfort and he ran his thumbs under her eyes to catch the tears. Mika pulled the boy's face against hers tightly. The memories were fresh in her head and she could feel her stone exterior breaking.

"Mika, you can let go of him now." Kohana said from right next to her. Hiei hadn't felt her enter the room at all, and now he felt the heat rise to his cheeks. Kohana unclasped Mika from Hiei's body and held her as the blond girl slid to the floor and fell apart. Kohana eyed Hiei with a 'you can leave now' look.

{Good work.} Kohana told him.

{Hnn.} Hiei replied.


	10. Chapter 10: No Need For Connection

Chapter Ten: No Need For Connection

Mika didn't leave the room for several days. Kohana and her French friend Aki constantly guarded the room and brought the Light demon everything that she would possibly need. Hiei tried to stay out of the way, but he felt his curiosity getting the better of him. Kurama had tried to talk to Kohana about Mika's health, but there was no break in the communication. Hiei sat outside the temple in his favorite tree, thinking about his last confrontation with the girl. He let his fingers wander up towards his lips. They didn't taste of Mika's tears anymore. Hiei wasn't sure what the feeling in his chest was. He clearly did his job. Kohana had gathered her report from him later, after he had successfully broken down the light demon. His mind let the images flash before him. Mika pushing her body up against him, the warmth of her skin rubbing against his as she tried to get a better hold on him. Hiei blushed as he thought about it.

'Damn girl.' He thought.

"What girl?" Kurama asked out loud as he interrupted Hiei's internal conversation. Hiei glared at the kitsune. Kurama smirked and looked back at the Jaganshi with an innocent look.

"Could it be that you are responsible for Mika's lack of communication?" Kurama confronted his friend. The fox could clearly sense something gong on in the Koorime's head the past few days that Mika had been locked up in her room.

"The cat youkai asked a favor. I had no choice." Hiei said. Kurama nodded. There was no verbal response from him, and that always seemed to worry Hiei. No verbal response means no definite opinion.

"I…Hnn." Hiei stopped himself from talking. Kurama looked at his friend, his green eyes urging the Koorime to continue on with the thought.

"I didn't hurt her did I?" Hiei asked. Kurama shook his head.

"I don't think so. I think that she is in a very horrible place that she has never allowed herself to be before. That may be the lack of communication right there." Kurama said softly. At that moment, the branch next to where Hiei was sitting on twitched and Hiei noticed the cat youkai standing next to him. Kohana looked increasingly unhappy, and she looked tired.

"Go." She said one word, and Hiei understood. He went to see Mika. The light demon was asking for him.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - - - - - - - - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Hiei opened the door to Mika's room after playing twenty questions with the French guardian. He stepped inside and was confronted with the girl's body making contact with his. Her lips meet his greedily and he accepted them without thinking. Mika grabbed a hold of Hiei's hand and placed it along the left jaw line, where he had let it rest before. Quickly, a scene passed through Mika's head and Hiei could understand that she had wanted him to know what was going on. But she did not let him go. Once the images and memory stopped, Mika deepened her kiss and pulled the Jaganshi closer to her. Hiei could hear the girl's heart beat in his ears, and it had a seductive beat as he ran his hands through her angel blond hair.

"Hmmm." Mika sighed happily. She hadn't been able to control herself when the Koorime stepped into the room. His scent and his aura wrapped around her and held her almost as strong as his arms. Hiei could sense Mika relax in his arms. He pulled her away quickly, holding her at bay just so that he could get a clear statement from her.

"What are you doing?" Hiei asked her. Mika whined at the absence of the boy's warm touch and his pleasant smell. She shook her head. She didn't want to answer that question. There was no way she was getting close to him. _This isn't a connection. I just need to feel._ Mika tried to tell herself. No where else had she felt such a strong sense of emotion.

"Don't stop!" Mika growled. She broke Hiei's grip and pulled the Jaganshi up against her hungrily. Hiei was surprised at her strength and pulled her back. He crushed her against his chest and felt her warm fingers pull at his cloak. Carefully, he pushed her away from the door and towards the bed. Mika felt the bed sweep her off her feet and she let herself sit on the edge. Hiei kept a hold of the girl's head as she sat on the edge of the bed and finally found the bare skin of his chest. Her fingers against his chest were fire. They blazed and burned and made his skin jump. Hiei breathed in the air and felt himself become intoxicated by the girl's scent. Just her scent made him feel tipsy. Mika pulled Hiei close to her so that she could almost just pull him into her and make them both dissolve.

'No connection. No connection. No connection.' Mika kept repeating to herself. Hiei's eyes opened and he pulled away immediately, leaving Mika without the good feeling of someone next to her, loving her. Mika looked up at the Jaganshi and saw a rage inside of him that made his deep red aura look like a flame that would burn Mika if she tried to touch it. He was mad.

"Don't come near me." Hiei said as he pulled his cloak back on and glided out of the room and went straight for Kurama. He would not let the girl make a fool out of him. The pain of loneliness resurrected in the Jaganshi's heart.

'She didn't want me, she just wanted my body. She didn't want the connection. Damn her!' Hiei thought to himself. He cursed Mika and her confusing tactics. He cursed himself. He cursed his feelings. There was nothing he could do.


End file.
